Town & Country

June 2016

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Country
Town
&
MANITOBA
Editor: Pat St. Germain – pdstgermain@gmail.com
Saturday, June 18, 2016
FIRE AND WATER VOTED PROVINCE'S TOP FESTIVAL
"
THE FESTIVAL NOW OFFERS FOUR
STAGES, WITH LOCAL MUSICIANS
JOINING OTHERS FROM ACROSS
MANITOBA TO PERFORM FOR
APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCES. THIS
YEAR'S LINEUP INCLUDES A
SELECTION OF ROCK, FOLK, ROOTS,
BLUES, COUNTRY AND MORE.
W
e beat out
the Winnipeg
Folk Festival,
Dauphin's
Countryfest
and Minnedosa's Rockin' the Fields
in the final round of voting," says
Fire and Water Festival marketing
director Cyndie Mitchell. "It's pretty
exciting for us."
This community-based festi-
val began 10 years ago. Mitchell
says founder Sheldon Sveinson
proposed it as a tourist attraction
for the town.
"He likes big ideas to get people
into Lac du Bonnet," she says.
It grew steadily over the years.
In 2015, about 10,000 people at-
tended, with just under 1,000 pay-
ing admission to the music stages.
The festival now offers four
stages, with local musicians joining
others from across Manitoba to
perform for appreciative audi-
ences. This year's lineup includes a
selection of rock, folk, roots, blues,
country and more.
"We want to bring in a variety
of music. Things that are going to
wow people," Mitchell says.
Winnipeg's John Janzen and
sons Simon, 15, on bass and
drums, and Mick, 11 on mandolin,
are looking forward to performing
for the third time at Fire and Water.
Janzen says he first heard about
the festival from a fellow musi-
cian who lives in Edmonton. After
the first year onstage, he was
impressed by the music and other
festival activities, such as a night-
time fire dance.
"One of the main things I like is
that the size of the festival is just
right," Janzen says. "We like the
local music."
Mitchell says a large part of
the festival is free, including a
children's area with live perform-
ers, face painting, games and
large sand piles salted with buried
"treasure" for little ones to uncover.
She's anticipating that about 200
pieces of artwork, ranging from
photographs to paintings to quilts
created by artists and crafters in
the Eastman region and other parts
of the province, will be displayed in
The Artwave Judged Art Exhib-
ition. While the show isn't juried,
prizes are awarded for the people's
choice and the artistic director's
selection of best in show.
The Artisan Square Craft Sale and
Trade Show is being organized by
local resident Pamela Habing. With
a variety of handcrafted items such
as jewelry, art glass and decorative
wooden signs, as well as vendors
selling a selection of commercially-
produced goods, Habing promises
there will be plenty to choose from
for festival shoppers.
"I'm really proud of the diversity
of our vendors," she says.
The sale and show will run on
Saturday, July 30 from 10 a.m.-5
p.m. and Sunday, July 31 from
noon-4 p.m.
Local producers are also selling
fresh fruit, vegetables and other
items at a farmers' market.
Habing says this is her second
year as vendor coordinator, and
her fourth year attending after her
sister, who also volunteers, intro-
duced her to the festival.
"I was hooked," she says. "I
loved it."
Mitchell's daughter Skylor, 17,
is also one of this year's main
organizers, taking on the role of
volunteer co-coordinator. She says
about 150 volunteers are needed,
and applications are starting to
come in.
Skylor also acts as the festival
photographer, a job she really
enjoys. "I get to go around and see
all the activities and take photos.
It's lots of fun."
She says watching the children
play and dance to music shows her
the true spirit of the event.
"It's got a real family-friendly
feel."
Skylor, her mom, Habing and the
other organizers invite everyone to
join the fun.
"You will catch the bug and fall
in love with the festival," Cyndie
Mitchell promises.
Weekend passes cost $60 for
adults and $30 for youth. Friday
night tickets are $20 for adults and
$10 for youth, with all-day passes
for Saturday and Sunday each
running $25 for adults and $12.50
for youth.
Unserviced camping spots are
located adjacent to the festival site,
which is about a five-minute walk
from Lac du Bonnet's downtown.
For more information on the 2016
festival, see firenwater.ca
RESIDENTS OF LAC DU
BONNET CAN BOAST
ABOUT HOSTING ONE OF
THIS PROVINCE'S BEST
SUMMER FESTIVALS.
THE ANNUAL FIRE AND
WATER FESTIVAL, COMING
UP JULY 29-31, WAS
VOTED MANITOBA'S BEST
SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
EARLIER THIS YEAR IN
TRAVEL MANITOBA'S
FESTIVAL MADNESS
ONLINE POLL.
MITCHELL SAYS A LARGE PART OF THE FESTIVAL IS FREE, INCLUDING A CHILDREN'S AREA
WITH LIVE PERFORMERS, FACE PAINTING, GAMES AND LARGE SAND PILES SALTED WITH
BURIED "TREASURE" FOR LITTLE ONES TO UNCOVER.
Performers include Chicken-like Birds, Danny Michel, and Brock Zeman.
OF THE
THE
BY ANDREA GEARY
I L E D E S C H Ê N E S
WILDLIFE
HOSPITAL
underway despite
funding shortfall
PG 2
S T E I N B A C H
LOCAL
CULTURE
is focus at Main Bread
& Butter
PG 4
S T E I N B A C H
STONE CREEK
WESTERN SHOP
is worth the ride
PG 6
W H I T E S H E L L
METEOR
FEST
is just one reason
to celebrate in Whiteshell
PG 7
S T - P I E R R E - J O L Y S
FROG
FOLLIES
47th Annual Frog Follies
& Agricultural Fair
PG 8